skip to main content
skip to newscasts

Wednesday, February 26, 2025

Public News Service Logo
facebook instagram linkedin reddit youtube twitter
view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

U.S. and Ukraine agree to minerals deal, officials say; Defense Sec. Hegseth tied to Idaho-based Christian nationalist church; As federal cuts hit Wisconsinites, one group pitches in to help; Funds sought to help address Oregon housing shortage.

view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

Trump faces backlash for restricting press access. The Defense Secretary's ties to a controversial church spark debate, Speaker Mike Johnson struggles with votes for a budget that includes health care cuts. Arkansas expands school meals, and Western voters push back against cuts to wilderness agencies.

view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

The Taos County Sheriff says he won't conduct raids or round ups of immigrants, New Hampshire worries a dearth of charging stations will force tourists driving EVs to pick another vacation destination, and Southern states improve education with workarounds.

Rally in Albany Seeks Respect and Dignity for All

play audio
Play

Tuesday, February 4, 2020   

NEW YORK -- Hundreds of immigrants and people of color are in Albany today calling on legislators to act on a list of priorities they call the Respect and Dignity for All platform.

They traveled from New York City, Long Island and Westchester for a morning rally and day of lobbying in the state capital. At the top of the list is a bill called the Protect Our Courts Act which would remove Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers from state courthouses.

According to Jennifer Hernandez, a lead organizer with Make the Road New York, the presence of ICE agents in courts is denying many immigrants access to justice.

"There's an ongoing war in immigrant communities and people are scared to go into court because ICE will basically hunt you down wherever they can get you and will stalk you," Hernandez said.

Other priorities include legislation to protect tenants from unreasonable evictions and to end discriminatory discipline practices in public schools.

Hernandez says a bill called the Solutions Not Suspensions Act would address racial and ethnic disparities in the severity of punishment given to students in New York public schools.

"We have data to corroborate that youth of color are being targeted for suspension and are getting harsher disciplinary actions than their peers," she said.

She noted outside of New York City, 10% of students facing discipline are African-American but they are 31% of those being suspended.

The housing-affordability crisis is spreading, but millions of tenants have no protection from developers who evict for frivolous reasons. Hernandez pointed out that rent-stabilization laws currently apply only to buildings with six or more units.

"Last year we passed a big reform to the rent laws that was a great start, but it's not enough," she said. "And we still need to push for good cause so that all renters have protections."

She said a bill introduced in both houses of the state Legislature - Assembly Bill A5030 and Senate Bill S2892 - would protect some 5 million New Yorkers from eviction without good cause.


get more stories like this via email

more stories
Miranda Johnson and her family received the keys to their new home, thanks in part to the Homeownership Development Incubator Program. (McMinnville Area Habitat for Humanity)

Social Issues

play sound

Groups working to address Oregon's shortage of affordable housing are backing a bill to fund the state's Homeownership Development Incubator Program…


Social Issues

play sound

AARP is taking applications for its 2025 Community Challenge grants and Wyoming's state chapter encouraged nonprofits and municipalities to apply…

Social Issues

play sound

Workers in the fight against hunger in Arkansas are celebrating the passage and signing of Senate Bill 59. The legislation makes free breakfast …


About 17% of funding for North Carolina schools in the 2023-24 school year came from the federal government. (Noah/Adobe Stock)

Social Issues

play sound

The fate of the U.S. Department of Education could have big effects for North Carolina schools. While the Trump administration has discussed …

Environment

play sound

By Ashley Stimpson of Nexus Media News for Sentient.Broadcast version by Suzanne Potter for California News Service reporting for the Sentient/Just an…

It is estimated each cow contributes around $34,000 annually to the local economy, but barriers for new dairy farmers are preventing enough new entrants to the industry to replace retiring farmers. (Ann/Adobe Stock)

Environment

play sound

In Pennsylvania, a nonprofit striving to secure the future of small dairy farms is hoping its federal funding won't be frozen much longer. …

Environment

play sound

Michigan environmental groups are pushing back as Enbridge's Line 5 tunnel faces "emergency" review, potentially bypassing full scrutiny and public …

Social Issues

play sound

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has ties with a controversial church based in Idaho and critics said the church's Christian nationalist views could gui…

 

Phone: 303.448.9105 Toll Free: 888.891.9416 Fax: 208.247.1830 Your trusted member- and audience-supported news source since 1996 Copyright © 2021